Disclaimer: I don't own any Murder, She Wrote characters and there's no moolah involved at all.

{This ramble with Jessica, Seth, and friends is dedicated to all of the Murder, She Wrote fan fiction authors who have kept me so amused and enthralled for the past year. Thanks so very much….}

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Jessica was typing furiously in her New York apartment trying to finish the draft of her latest novel. She was pushing to meet her deadline and clear her schedule because her dearest friend, Dr. Seth Hazlitt, was due at her door any moment for the first seven days of his two week vacation and she had been greatly looking forward to his visit.

Unfortunately, she still had three chapters to go when the doorbell rang.

"Seth!" Jessica exuberantly greeted after opening the door and gathering him into a big hug even before he passed over the threshold. "I'm so glad you're here!" she remarked while dragging him and his suitcase into the apartment.

"I'm glad to see you too, Jess," replied Seth, hugging her back. "I've missed you, Woman."

"I've missed you, too. Did you have a good flight?"

"A-yuh, the plane ride was fine but I can't say much for what they passed off as lunch. I miss the good old days when they served food on airplanes. Next time I think I'll just pack a sandwich."

Jessica chuckled at his comment. "Ohhh dear, I'm sorry but I've been working non-stop for days on this draft to try and finish it so we could spend the next week together and I didn't have time to do any shopping. My refrigerator is empty! All I can offer you is very stale bread if you're hungry."

"Is that the finale of the trilogy you've been writing?" queried Seth. "According to the reports, the Press has been going nuts trying to find out how it's going to end. They've even been snooping around Cabot Cove and asking around if anyone has an inkling about it. Of course, we all just clam right up."

"And I really appreciate that," sighed Jessica. "They've been driving me to distraction here in New York, too. Every place I go there seems to be someone trying to pry the ending out of me. I've been slaving away to just finally get it done and that's why my cupboard is so bare!"

"That's all right Jess, why don't I make myself useful for a change and go to the store for you? It'll give you a chance to finish up your work and the walk will give me a chance to stretch my legs. Maybe I can even pick up something to get rid of this heartburn at the same time. Wouldn't you know it - the one time I don't bring my medical bag…"

"That would be grand!" Jessica said while kissing Seth's cheek. "Don't get too much though, because I'm taking you out to dinner later and you can catch me up on everything going on at home."

"That'd be great. I've got something to talk to you about too, but it'll wait for later. Just let me stow my suitcase behind the couch and I'll be off," he said kissing Jessica's cheek in return. They stood there in a loose embrace, smiling at each other for a moment before Jessica pulled Seth closer and said into his ear, "I'm so glad you came. You're like a mobile piece of home."

Seth chuckled. "Well, that's one thing I've never been called before! Let me get moving now so you can finish up."

After seeing him to the door Jessica returned to pounding out the remaining bits of her story.

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Seth exited the elevator and looked for Ahmed, the doorman, to get directions. Hmmm, he must be at lunch. Well, as I recall the store's right around the corner this a way, he mused to himself as he left the building and sauntered along the sidewalk. He didn't notice the lean man with salt and pepper hair in a gray tweed jacket leave the mailbox area and follow him out of the lobby and down the street.

Taking his good old sweet time Seth hummed along, passing several alleys. As with so many of these in New York they were gloomy, dirty affairs that pedestrians rarely looked down. Unfortunately, that's why he didn't see the face behind the hands that grabbed him and dragged him into a particularly dark spot behind a dumpster.

"Mmrrff, Mmrrrfffff!" was all Seth could manage with the moist rag pressed snugly over his mouth and nose. He fought hard against being held as he saw another attacker grab his arms. Vaguely, he identified the moisture over his face as being chloroform. Jess! was his last thought before unconsciousness claimed him.

Jessica was just starting the second-to-last chapter of her book and was in a quandary about how to tie all of the subplots together. It can't be too obvious, yet it's got to all gel, she thought. She had always hated how some murder mystery authors introduced new characters in the last few chapters of a novel to get themselves out of a writer's corner and was determined not to go that route. Yet, in a flash it came to her to introduce two kidnappers. No, that wouldn't work anyway, she mumbled to herself. Hmmm, I wonder where Seth is?

Seth wondered the same thing as he slowly regained consciousness. He began to take stock of his situation; he was laying on the floor of a moving vehicle, there was tape over his mouth, his hands and feet were bound, nothing was broken, and the air he could inhale in through his nose smelled like disinfectant. He craned his neck to see the men in the driver's and passenger's seats. Both were dressed in white T-shirts and white pants. The driver was bald and had a gold earring in his left earlobe.

Good Lord! he thought. I've been kidnapped by Mr. Clean! he woozily snickered to himself. Seth shook his head to clear the effects of the chloroform a bit faster and tried to concentrate a little more. Shortly, the vehicle slowed and then stopped. The door at his feet opened letting in a burst of light that prevented him from seeing the face of the man standing in the doorway.

"Wake up, wake up now! It's a time to get up," said a thick, heavily accented voice. Seth was grabbed by the ankles and pulled to the door frame of what he could then make out was a service type van. His ankles were freed and he was unceremoniously set upon his feet.

"Mrrffff, mmrrrft!" the doctor glared at the bald man, his anger clearing the last of the drug out of his system.

"Now, now, friend. There a no need to get nasty," said the driver in what sounded to Seth like a Mediterranean accent. "We go for a little walk and you would be smart to no make troble."

Seth heard an evil chuckle and looked beyond him to a third man standing in the alley who was dressed in black slacks and a collared white polo. He had not said anything but was watching the proceedings with a most malevolent grin and a gun pointed at Seth's chest. He motioned the two burly goons towards the back door, conveniently labeled "Service Entrance." The building looked vaguely familiar to Seth as they bundled him through the door. It was then he noticed the "Janitor" badges all three thugs were wearing.

As he was hustled toward the service elevator Seth looked around at the building's walls. Although they were devoid of any decoration he recognized the color of the paint and the architecture of the ceiling. His heart sank as he realized they were in the back of Jessica's apartment building. The service elevator door opened and Seth was pushed in.

As the elevator door closed none of them saw the man in the gray tweed jacket slipping in via the service entrance behind them and noting the floor they stopped at with a silent curse.

Jessica had taken a break to make a cup of tea and had a distinctly uneasy feeling about Seth. I hope he didn't get lost, she thought. Maybe I'd better go look for him.

By the time the elevator stopped at Jessica's floor Seth was determined not to lead them to Jessica's apartment. Still with tied hands and taped mouth, he figured the only way to attract attention was to throw himself at one of the apartment doors and hope the noise attracted someone. As if reading his mind, the kidnappers on either side of him grabbed him tightly under the arms and half lifted, half dragged him down the hall.

Despite his struggles, he was deposited in front of Jessica's door and pulled down so that only his eyes were visible through the peephole. A double rap at the door brought Jessica from the kitchen to the peephole where she saw Seth's wide eyes blinking frantically at her.

"Seth!" she remarked while opening the door, "where did you get to? I was worried…" She jumped back in surprise as he was bustled in by the two muscle men. Jessica gasped when she saw that Seth was bound and gagged. "Seth! Are you all right? What's the meaning of this?!" she cried out as she put her hands on his shoulder and chest to steady him after he was roughly pushed further into the room.

The man in the white polo shirt neatly closed and locked the door behind him before turning to address Jessica. "Well, hello Mrs. Fletcher. Or shall I call you Mrs. Reardon as you were known in Athens? While I regret that your husband isn't here, it will still give me great pleasure to kill you and your lover. It makes me smile to think of his pain when Michael Hagarty sees his wife's body lying in the arms of her dead lover."

Seth was so startled that he stopped trying to squirm out of the ties around his wrists and stared first at the thug and then at Jessica while trying to understand what the gunman was talking about. A story she had told him a few years ago about an unexpectedly eventful stopover in Greece while on a world book tour came to mind. He saw the comprehension in her eyes, as well as the quickly growing fear.

Jessica's eyes indeed grew wide and she froze as she realized what the gunman was talking about. Several years before, while visiting Athens, she found her flight and reservations mysteriously altered. To her surprise she wound up registered at her hotel as Mrs. Reardon. The whole episode had been orchestrated by MI6 agent Michael Hagarty as a necessary cover for him as he pursued a gang of arms dealers when his partner was delayed, then later killed. Jessica had been a rather unwilling participant and let Michael Hagarty know, in no uncertain terms, that she didn't appreciate it. However, she wound up being instrumental in bringing the criminals to justice.

"Mmmmrrf! mmrrrfff!" exclaimed Seth.

"Now, now, friend. Here, let's free your hands and mouth," snarked the gunman as he motioned to his thug. Seth's ties were cut and he pulled the duct tape from his mouth with a wince. He immediately eased slightly in front of Jessica and started to argue with the polo clad man. "Now see here, this is Jessica Fletcher. You've made a mistake."

"No, I haven't," replied the gunman. "I guess she never told you. She and her MI6 husband were responsible for me and my family going to prison for life. My brother died there. Since I escaped last year I've lived for nothing but revenge. And now I'm finally going to have it," he gloated as he put a silencer on the gun. "I'm going to kill her first and then you."

As he raised the gun and started to point it at Jessica's head Seth stepped fully in front of Jessica, bumping her aside, and rushed the gunman.

Time slowed to a crawl for Jessica. In horror she saw the gunman's finger tightening on the trigger as Seth placed himself in front of the barrel.

"No! Don't!" she screamed as the gun fired.

The loud "BANG" Jessica heard first was from her door being burst open.

The softer "pwheeet" she heard next was from the silencer as the fired bullet furrowed a neat line in the white hair on the right side of Seth's head.

The third sound was "THUD," as the body of the assassin dropped to the floor.

Michael Hagarty stood behind him holding his own, just fired, silenced pistol. A crew of men in black attire and masks rushed into the apartment and apprehended the two burley goons who stood in shock and offered no resistance.

Everyone was speaking at once but all Jessica noticed was Seth staggering slightly. She took two quick steps over to him and, turning him around, held his head with trembling hands. "Seth, are you all right?! Talk to me!"

"I'm okay, Jess. I was just grazed. I don't think I'll be needing a haircut on this side for a while," he said while gingerly touching the singed hair above his ear.

The team of black clad men had hustled the thugs out and down the hall. Michael Hagarty stepped over the dead gunman and came to Jessica. "Jess darling, are you all right?"

Releasing Seth's head Jessica turned to Michael with undisguised fury in her eyes. "Michael! What have you done, now?! Why has this happened? And don't call me darling."

Michael Hagarty took a step back before Jessica's strident tirade. "I'm sorry it came to this, lass." Nodding at the body, "I've been tracking him ever since he entered the States. We've coordinated with your FBI and local police but he was too well hidden until he came to New York. I feared he was going to involve you and there's been a 24 hour a day watch on you. We just didn't expect Dr. Hazlitt showing up."

While he had been talking, a stretcher had been brought in and the dead gunman had been put upon it. A soft groan brought everyone's attention quizzically to the corpse before Jessica recognized the voice and turned to find Seth sitting down and pale, and holding his chest.

"Seth! What's wrong?" Jessica came to him.

"I'm having chest pains," he gasped out.

With a nod from Michael, the gurney attendants unceremoniously dumped the body off and helped Seth onto it. "Take him to the nearest hospital, quickly," instructed Michael.

"I'm going with him," exclaimed Jessica, moving past Michael.

"Do that, lass. Don't worry, I'll take care of everything here," Michael called after her retreating form.

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{A/N: The episode referred to in this chapter is "Appointment in Athens"; Season 6, Episode 4}